Famine's Chosen
by Caitriona3
Summary: Part 3 of The Four Sisters - He was her golden lover, a flickering candle in the darkness of her life.


_Author's Note – each sister will get her own story. It will cover the night after they took back their power._

**Famine's Chosen**

Natasha sat on the edge of the bed and watched him sleep. Her golden lover, a flickering candle in the darkness of her life…his very presence astounded her. She never expected to have such a gift in her life…and that was when she merely considered herself Agent Romanoff of SHIELD, Black Widow of the Avengers.

Now that she remembered her true self? Her love for him seemed beyond belief.

She still remembered the shock of awareness when she first met Pepper. It had been a spark, a jolt to her memory – not enough to truly remember, but more than enough to have them circling each other warily. It turned into an odd dance of give and take as they couldn't seem to decide whether or not to trust one another. The spark doubled in strength when Betty arrived. Then everything stalled. For several months the three women eyed each other in confusion, both drawn and repulsed in ways they couldn't understand.

Then everything changed.

Thor returned and accepted Stark's invitation to stay at the tower provided he could bring along his ladylove and friends. Stark agreed and less than a week later they assembled in the team's main sitting room to welcome Thor and company, Steve dragging Barnes along with the insistence that he was part of the team.. Thor entered, smiling broadly, with Doctors Jane Foster and Erik Selvig in tow. More importantly, however, he brought Jane's intern along with them.

Darcy Lewis.

When Natasha saw her, the spark erupted into a lightning bolt more powerful than any Thor could dream of creating. It roared through her body and mind, ripping away the layers of shielding and memories to unlock her deepest self. The reality of her identity poured into her mind and she could only be grateful for Thor's enthusiastic greetings for covering the momentary weakness as she almost staggered beneath the weight of it.

Famine! She was Famine! Although she had borne many names over the ages, they all translated to that one idea – Famine…of the body, of the mind, but most particularly of the heart. Darcy, Pepper, Betty…her sisters – ripped from her along with her memories!

She wanted to snarl at the time stolen from them.

Sharp green eyes snared hers and the snarl died instantly. She was not the only one who had suffered, but her eldest sister would accept no tomfoolery for now. Death would have her day and she would help, but for now they needed to remain hidden.

She went on autopilot, greeting and welcoming the others, though her eyes strayed towards Darcy whenever she let her guard slip. Only three men might have noticed, but Bucky and Clint spent too much time eyeing Darcy themselves to catch Natasha at it. Steve did, but he did no more than lift an eyebrow momentarily in question. He respected her privacy too much to call her on it.

Yet another reason she trusted him.

When they had a moment's privacy, he lifted that eyebrow again. "Is there a problem?"

"No," Natasha replied easily. "She is…familiar, but it's not a dangerous kind of familiar."

"Okay," he nodded and let it go.

It astonished her how many ways Steve drew her in. He trusted her, valued her. More to the point – he expected her to handle whatever got thrown to them just as he did the men. Not once did he assume she couldn't do, see, or take care of something just because she was a woman. She'd called him on it one day and he'd laughed.

"Peggy Carter," Steve told her. "Look up her record – your clearance should be high enough. You won't need to ask me that again."

That easy acceptance of her capabilities combined with his sheer compassion and hatred of bullies sealed the deal in her mind. For the next few months Natasha carefully pursued him, ignoring her sisters and their amusement.

"You know," he said one day as they sparred in the privacy of the gym, "you could just ask."

"Ask what?" she questioned, feinting towards his side only to spin the opposite direction.

His reflexes versus her training generally brought their fights to a standstill, but this time he managed to surprise her. His leg swept hers out from under her, and he had her pinned before she could flip back up. Steve stared down at her, his blue eyes intent on her. "Ask me out or ask me to bed, whichever one you're angling for," he replied simply. She blinked in surprise and one corner of his mouth turned up in wry amusement. "I'm picky," he remarked in amusement, "not a prude."

His mouth captured hers in a kiss that quickly went from simple to hot, hard, and deep. Fires ignited beneath her skin, creating a burning she felt powerless to fight. She opened her mouth beneath his, craving, demanding more. And he responded. He poured himself into that kiss…into her. The blood pounded in her ears. Both of them were breathless by the time he pulled back.

"Date later," she told him, her hands already tugging at his shirt. "Right now, I _need_."

Steve helped her pull the shirt over his head, and her fingernails scraped lightly down his chest towards his waist. Her hands moved around to his back as he dipped his head and fastened that ridiculously talented mouth on her neck. "JARVIS," she called out, only to stutter slightly as his teeth bit down sharply on her jugular. "Shut…shut off…" Her voice trailed off completely as his hand closed over her breast without warning.

Either JARVIS got the idea or somebody else shut off the security feed. There were no tapes – and she had searched to make sure.

Their first time had been just like the kiss – hot, hard, and fast right there on the gym floor. There was one more instance in the elevator, and then they were in her rooms. She didn't bother trying to count or remember how often they had taken each other over the ensuing night. Stamina took on a whole new meaning when confronted with two people like them.

Months later and their blood still ran hot for each other.

Now, now she was awake and alive and brimming with power. Moments earlier she felt her sister's power practically erupt as she claimed her consorts, and it left Natasha's skin tingling and her body demanding its own release. Her eyes traced the lines of Steve's slumbering form. All of that power and strength, light and compassion and he belonged to her.

But would she be allowed to keep him?

Anxiety shot through her, but another voice touched her mind.

"_I told you, little sister," _Darcy admonished, _"your chosen is as a brother to me. Awaken your beloved, make the offer, and take or be taken. If he accepts, then we will claim another from the ravenous jaws of Fate."_

A tremulous smile slipped over Natasha's face. Then slowly she pulled the sheet down the bed, leaving Steve bare to her hungry gaze.

He shifted as though that look was physical and his eyes blinked open. A bemused smile curved his lip as he caught sight of her. "Natasha?"

"Steve," she replied, her voice strong with both passion and power, laced with hope. He started to sit up, but she pushed him back down as she moved to straddle his hips. Her hands rested on his chest as his came up to curl around her hips.

"What's wrong, Tash?" he asked, voice soft with concern, but edged with a growing need.

"Steve," she said softly, leaning down to meet his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Always," he answered in his simple, straightforward manner.

"I have so little heart remaining to me," she continued, her voice not rising above a whisper. He started to interrupt, but settled as she shook her head. The unhappy set of his mouth told her he didn't like the self-disparagement, but she gave him a tiny smile. "What little I have is yours…if you will take it?"

One of his hands came up to tangle in her hair, dragging her mouth to his. His hips lifted slightly and his body flexed and twisted. When he lifted his mouth from hers, she found herself staring up as he loomed above her. "Yes," he told her, as he dipped his head to trace a line of nips and kisses from her chin to the back edge of her jaw. His tongue traced the shell of her ear before he pulled back just enough to look her in the eye. "I will."

Now it was her turn to take as she surged upwards to meet him in another of their hard kisses, kisses that walked the thin line between pleasure and pain. Her power overflowed and she felt his body react to the sudden influx of energy. His hips arched into the cradle of hers.

Then it began to drain him and she nearly panicked.

Another power touched her and she heard a light whisper. _"Let me in." _Natasha almost refused, but Darcy touched her as well. _"Trust me."_ Opening to the power, Natasha felt a two ribbons of energy enter her, passing through her and into Steve. They twined around his spirit, pulling and stretching until his lifeline seemed ready to rupture. And then…she could almost hear the snap as his line locked to hers, merging and blending until nothing separated them. Triumphant laughter echoed in her mind as the two others, her sister and the light whisper, pulled away, but she lost track of them as the bond between her and her chosen blossomed. She could feel him, his needs, his wants – the reaction to every touch – and somehow knew he could sense the same of her.

Steve's body recovered from the draining and flashed back to full arousal. Sensations burned along their bond until there was no way to separate her experience from those she shared vicariously. All she knew was want and demand and need until their voices mingled in the air and he collapsed over her. It took several long minutes before their bodies felt capable of movement once more.

"Tasha?" he murmured in confusion, laboriously rolling over and pulling her against his chest.

"In the morning," she replied softly, her hand tracing the lines of his chest. "I'll explain in the morning."

"'Mkay," he muttered, breathing deeply and falling into sleep.

Natasha's heart lifted as Steve's breathing evened out beneath her ear. Famine – once the loneliest of the sisters – would never again walk the world alone. She allowed herself to drift off, reveling in the light pulsing inside of her – a light that matched her beloved's heart. One final word broke the silence.

"Mine."


End file.
